Jo Huddleston
offering spiritual tonic and hope
"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
Today is another day on our life’s journey. Perhaps from my thoughts here you can find encouragement for wherever your journeys may take you.
Welcome to my thinking place. Occasionally I’ll post a new article here, sometimes humorous but always insightful.
Photo by Mallory
Photo by Mallory
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
(Philippians 4:8, NIV)
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My Thoughts
The First Christmas
December 2011
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"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11, NIV)
Dear Shepherds,
It was probably a clear night near Bethlehem. You guarded the flocks appointed for temple sacrifice against harmful thieves and attacking animals. What were your expectations that night? You most likely thought it would be a night like many others. Peaceful, nothing out of the ordinary. Just a calm and restful night.
All had settled down for an undisturbed night when that blazing light startled all of you awake. What did you think was happening? A meteor? Shooting stars?
Then out of the midnight brightness an angel of the Lord appeared. I can imagine your terror at this angelic appearance. Here you were minding your own business, taking care of your herds, and bam! What a frightening surprise!
What did you do? What did you think of first, your animals or yourself? Were there any nearby rocks big enough to hide behind? Did you lie flat on the ground so perhaps the angel would not see you? Dread must have filled your heart and mind.
I'm sure you were relieved at the angel's first words. What reassurance he gave you that he meant no harm. What encouragement he offered when he told you not to be afraid.
The news that the angel had come to tell you deserved all the uproar. This was something you wanted to be awakened for! The good news brought you great joy. He told you of a glorious birth that day in nearby Bethlehem. The angel brought you news that the Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born.
Some of your fellow Jews had been watching for a new politician to free them from Roman rule. Still others of your brothers wished for a savior to rescue them from sickness and hardships. Now, here an angel announced to you that indeed a Savior had been born that would free you from sin and death. When the angel used the name Savior, Christ the Lord, he did not refer to God as those words normally would do. He told you of the birth of the Son of God.
The angel finished his newsflash by directing you to the newborn child. He spoke to you a sign that the baby would be wrapped snugly and would be lying in a humble manger.
If this one angel didn't have everyone's undivided attention by then, lo and behold throngs of angels filled the sky around him. All together they praised and glorified God. They proclaimed peace and goodwill on earth to all who would please God.
What a discussion all of you must have had when the angels left you and returned to heaven. The angels didn't command you to go to where this baby was, but there was no hesitation on your part. Were you eager to prove the angel right? Did you yearn to be in the presence of the Savior that the Lord had sent his angel to tell you about?
You hurried the three-quarters of a mile west toward Bethlehem. You wanted to see for yourself what had been told to you. Sure enough, there in that manger was the Christ child, Mary and Joseph beside Him.
Good news is hard to be tight-lipped about, isn't it? Especially such marvelous news about a Savior! Soon you told the angel's message about this newborn child to everyone you met. All who heard your wonderful news were astounded.
You found things just as the angel had forecast. You returned to your fields and your flocks with reason to glorify and praise God as the angels had done. Has anyone thanked you for what you did? Yes, you did a fantastic thing. I am so grateful that you were willing to tell about the Savior.
Had you gone back to your fields and kept quiet about the whole thing, how would anyone ever have known about the Son of God coming to be the world's Savior? How would they have learned that Jesus Christ came to love humankind and draw them to God, the Father?
How would I have ever heard about Jesus had you not spread the good news from the angel? I'm glad you became excited to repeat the news of that first Christmas. Thank you.
jo________________________________________________________________
Things To Think About
October 2011
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"Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy."
-Anne Frank
Does your brain ever stop working?
I don't think it does but I have no medical proof for this. We're conscious of our brain working during the day while we're up and going. When we tackle chore after chore, when we enjoy family, sports, movies, and reading. But what about at night when we're asleep? I have no medical research to back this up but I think our mind may be the most active when we dream while sleeping. Dreaming can be done while asleep when there are no distractions to interfere, no one around to contradict our thoughts. So maybe our brain never stops working.
Can you ever empty you mind of all thought? Do you? I'm not sure about ever emptying my mind of all thought. The closest I may come to this is when I'm reading or typing on the computer and I need a rest for my eyes. I stop my activity and look out the window thinking about nothing in particular. I just enjoy (is that thinking?) God's creation as I look outside: breezes rustling the green tree leaves, shadows made by the blazing sun, gentle rain that will help plants and flowers grow, and the blue sky full of white, fluffy clouds.
When I'm resting my eyes, being still, and enjoying what I see outside my window I hear the "ringing in my ears." I have medical diagnosis for this, except they put a big medical term to it, so I just stick with ringing in ears. I hear shrill sounds like I'm in a field of crickets and/or katydids. The sounds are there 24/7 and because I'm accustomed to them they're not really pronounced until I'm quiet. I hear them especially as I fall asleep at night. And I'm hearing them now as I type this.
But back to the thoughts that occupy our brains every day. I hope the good ones will always outweigh the bad ones.
jo________________________________________________________________
You can read more of "My Thoughts" entries as
"Inspirational Insights" on archived newsletters here
